Solar Battery Charger For Boat – How They Sail & Never Sink! 

Most boats use diesel, sail-powered by wind, and gasoline to generate power. But electricity-powered boats are also have been used for the past 120 years. Therefore, you cannot just ignore that the electric boasts are essential to a boat’s high performance. It resulted from the electric crisis in 1970. After that, all the sailors were interested in rechargeable energy for their ships.

solar charger for boat battery

Do solar chargers work for boats? 

It is an excellent point to build up a conversation. England constructed The first practical solar boat in 1975.. Ever since, motorboats have become famous due to solar panels. The sailors find the solar chargers to be handy. The main reason is that the boats spend days in the sea without meeting the shore. They get plenty of sunlight during the daytime, which is more than enough to charge the boat battery fully. Solar charging offers convenience to all types of boats. It is beneficial when your battery is running low.

Primarily when you know, you will not sail ashore soon. Therefore, a solar power battery charger for boat is the most cost-effective and convenient way to generate electricity for your boat’s battery system. It will not matter where you sail to, as long as you have sunshine. The solar charges have different construction types according to the needs of the boats of various capacities. The solar-powered battery charger for the boat consists of other parts. The main features are a solar panel- one or several, a solar charge controller and wiring connected to the solar panel to keep the power charging running. 

Below are the details of components and the elements of a solar charger. It suits not only for industrial or domestic uses but also for a marine solar panel battery charger.

 

• Charge Controller, known as a regulator, charge controller puts the energy into your battery. You can also have a solar panel without one. But the sailor needs to make sure you choose a panel that comes with a charge controller. Charge controllers are necessary if the panel is more than five watts. It can later store the energy. A solar panel only needs sunlight to work.
• Solar Panels are the part that collects the energy from the sun. It has become the most cost-effective method to get the power to make electronic devices work.
• Pulse Width Modulation or temperature compensation is a critical aspect protecting the battery from overcharging and frequent charging. It is a safety and efficiency feature that every solar charger should have. It will save you time from replacing the battery every time it drains.
• Self-regulation is another critical factor. The Self-regulating boat solar battery chargers come with a built-in controller. Every boater is different, but anything built-in is a positive feature that makes its purpose easy.
• The solar chargers for boats are made of Plastic and Aluminium. It means less breakage and more withstands various weather conditions. It will also be strong enough to stand against the wind, sun, and saltwater, which are the common factors that a boat will always meet.

Solar battery charger for boats has different types of power charging when it comes to the operations of the solar charger. 

How do you charge a boat battery with a solar panel?

There are several methods to charge a boat battery through a solar panel.

Trickle charging 

The trickle charging method is for charging lead-acid starting batteries. It provides minimal power to keep them healthy and ready to use. A small solar battery charger can keep the batteries without draining them off if there is no way to get shore power. It can start the engines when the boat is in the deep sea. Also, this system is cost-effective in any emergency.

Charging for light use.

A compacted solar battery charger system with around 100 watts can generate enough power supply for small electronic devices. Operating the fish finders, stereos, and charging phones during the daytime are tasks. These systems can be used on boats using one battery or connected to a domestic power bank. Small solar battery charging systems are ideal for light use on boats. It will not have other charging means while it’s in use. Small fishing boats, day-use sailboats, or speedboats fall in the category that uses this type of small battery chargers.

Charging for Heavy power use 

The marine solar battery charger is beneficial for Liveaboard yachts and sailboats. They require large amounts of power and heavy-use solar battery charging systems. Usually, Liveaboard vessels have a separate battery system for lights, electronics, and large household appliances such as microwaves, TVs, and computers. These solar charging systems may have thousands of watts of solar collection. It provides all of the day-to-day power needs for living on a boat. The heavy use chargers are specifically designed for the boats that carry out more complex tasks like leisure boating. These vessels use a lot of electronic appliances in the boats that need a continuous power system.

Different types of solar battery chargers for boats

With the development of science and technology, electronic devices and the methods to maintain them too faced a lot of changes. Hence the solar battery chargers also faced different shifts. They invented many other types according to the battery types and the purposes.  

The most basic and handy solar trickle charger for the boat is not a good option among the charger types. This specific device is suitable for charging smaller devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

Solar charger for deep cycle marine battery is also another possible option. It is used for heavy-duty boats. It requires a more significant amount of power capacity. To get the required power consumption topped up, they will need several solar panels to operate. A 100Ah lead-acid deep-cycle battery at 50% of its capacity will need two solar panels, each rated at 100 watts, to recharge in one day fully. A fully discharged 12V 100Ah auto battery will need three solar panels at 100 watts to fully restore in one day. It says an average of 4 peak-sun-hours. A 100Ah lead-acid deep-cycle battery at 50% of its capacity will need two solar panels. Each of them is rated at 100 watts to recharge in one day fully. The required amount of solar power capacity and the charger compatibility will change according to the battery capacity. 

Above is a short description to understand the solar power marine battery charger. 

What size solar panel do I need to charge my boat battery?

Boats will need different types of solar charges with varying capacities of charging depending on the boats’ tasks. It will also include the number of solar panels each charger needs to recharge the required power consumption.

When thinking of the modern context, the boats need electricity for almost all their functions. The fish finder of the fishing boat operates through electricity. Therefore, we could see that electricity usage is something the boats need for their purposes. A boat typically runs on two batteries—one for trolling and cranking. After a long day in the sea, the batteries need recharging. If a shore is not near, it should have a backup plan to get the required electricity back. 

Some boats have an onboard charger. You may then have to drag your battery or boat to somewhere you can connect it to a power supply. It may be possible only in some cases. But not if you are out in the sea or the storage compartment of your boat doesn’t allow it. You will have to use a portable charger. It can only maintain a battery but not fully charge a deep cycle battery.

Role of the solar battery charger

The case is different if you have a solar battery charger in your boat. It will always allow you to get enough sunlight during the daytime. The battery will charge to its total capacity at night. It will enable you to charge the battery from anywhere as long as enough sunlight. 

When selecting solar battery chargers for boats, it is essential to know the power capacity of your boat’s battery. It will determine the solar battery charger type.

A 20-Watt Solar Panel will be good enough for trickle charging your boat battery for a small boat. It is to prevent your battery from draining from self-discharge. Solar panels always produce DC power that will act as a charger topping up the battery when it is exhausting.

But if you are looking for a faster charger, a higher wattage will serve you better. Therefore, most sailors would choose a 70-watt charger to do a more efficient job in less time. 

Solar battery charger- 12v will ensure you get 5-8 amps a day. You would use a regular charger to recharge your batteries in less than 8 hours. It can be sufficient for a small boat with a single 12v deep cycle battery.

A 24-volt solar battery charger for boat is ideal for charging the connected batteries in series. It will reduce the charging time of the solar panel. 

Can you leave a solar battery charger on all the time?

There are frequent concerns about using a solar battery charger for boats. That is if the boat’s solar battery charger can keep switched on all the time. Generally, a solar trickle charger can connect to a battery all the time. Industry makes most commercial chargers to generate very low power. It can avoid and protect against over-charging. It’s always advised to use a simple solar charge controller with any solar charger.

But it is essential to keep in mind that hot temperatures can cause a considerable decrease in battery capacity. Also, it can make the battery’s over-temperature protection kick in and shut the battery off. 

Best solar battery charger for boat

Over time, the boat solar battery charger proved to be a practical option. It is one of the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly modes for charging your boat battery. The marine solar panel battery charger is the most efficient way to keep your boat running without a power drop. Also, solar battery chargers for boat harbor freight will provide significant advantages compared to the other battery charging methods. It is an advantage that the solar battery chargers can implement on traditional small boats and larger cruising sailboats.

Below are a few of the best solar battery chargers on the top of the list.

• Sunway 12V Marine Solar Battery Trickle Charger SOLPERK 12V Solar Battery Charger
• P-Solar 12V Portable Solar Trickle Battery Charger
• SUPERPOWER 12V Solar Battery Charger
• TP-Solar 50W Flexible Solar Panel

Before buying your solar charger, you should have an excellent understanding of the type of battery your boat has. Also, what type of solar panel do you need for the charger to operate. The construction of the solar battery charger is also another critical area that you should have a good idea. It is straightforward to get the best solar battery charger for a boat with all these in mind.

It would help if you remembered that the best waterproof solar charger for a boat battery is the Waterproof Solar Panel Trickle Charger. Another cost-effective method is using a 2 bank solar battery charger. It will save time and extra sot for charging two batteries. The dual bank charger is highly effective for the heavily used boats that spend more days in the sea. It is straightforward to charge two separate batteries simultaneously using a solar panel. Many solar charge controllers can only recharge one battery at a time. But there are two bank solar battery chargers invented for this particular task. It will make the boat get enough power stored as it can charge two banks simultaneously.  

Same as the other boats, the bass boats, too, can be powered by solar power. Therefore, the recharging has to be done through a bass boat solar battery charger. 

The Bottom Line

Likewise, many boat types in the modern marine industry and leisure water sports accommodate solar power to generate energy. Also, solar battery chargers are used as the leading resource to recharge the power in boat batteries. The sunlight being the most cost-effective and easy method to generate power, has been a real-life saver for many sailors worldwide!